Improvement in rotary steam-engines



J. LUCAS.

Rotary Steam-Engines. No138,334. PatentedApmzgmm.

y l 7Min:

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

JOHN LUCAS, OF HASTINGS, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,334, dated April 29, 1873 5 application filed February 21, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN LUCAS, of Hastings, in the county of Dakota and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to the class of steamengines known as rotary,77 where a crank is dispensed with; and it consists in the construe tion, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view with the cylinder-cover oft', showing the interior. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. l taken on-the line a'.

Similar letters ot' reference :indicate correspondin g parts.

A is the cylinder or case. B is a stationary cam within the cylinder which governs the action of the pistons. C G are induction-valves connected with the steampipe by means of the steam-channel E, seen in dotted lines in Fig. l. The steampipe is attached at the oriee D, also seen in dotted lines in Fig. l. F represents the pistons. G is the piston-wheel attached to the central driving-shaft H. The pistons slide in slots in the an ge of the pistonwheel as that wheel revolves. The pistons move longitudinally in the wheel, being constructed with slots I through which the shaft passes, as seen in Fig. 1. Each piston is formed of two like-shaped and equal-sized parts,which are connected by two right and left hand screwnuts, M. By turning these nuts the two parts of the piston can be adjusted to take up the wear and insure their working steam -tight within the cylinder. L is the cover of the cylinder, and K the exhaust-port. J is a valve, having the form of a slightly-obtuse angle and pivoted at its apex equidistantbetween the induction-ports O C. The ends of each ot its arms is made slightly convex to allow it to lit snugly against the inner periphery of the cylinder, and the outer side slightly concave, corresponding or concentric with the cylinder.

As shown in the drawing, the valve :is in proper position to receive the impact of steam admitted by the left-hand port, which, acting on the piston projecting through the wheel Gr on that side, causes the latter to revolve from left to right. Shutting oii' steam at the lefthand port and admitting it at the other will cause the valve J to turn on its pivot and assume the opposite position, which will effect the reversal of the wheel.

It will beobserved that in any case the valve forms a partition in the space between the wheel and cylinder, and that always between the exhaust-port and the induction-port at which the steam may be entering.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination and arrangement in a rotary engine off the ease A, cam B, pistons F, induction-valves O C, piston-wheel G, reversble seltadjusting valve J, and port K, substantial-ly as shown and described.

JOHN LUCAS.

Witnesses:

W. H. DE KAY, R. J. MAWIN. 

